Author's Corner:
Sasa: Thanks to all the readers who followed, put this story on their favorite list, and read this story. I am very happy!
Aika: Today...well...err...
Sasa: No spoilers! That's my job!
Aika: Urr...sorry boss!
Sasa: Ha ha! That's right - I am the boss! Mwahahaha...
Aika: ^-^'
Sasa: Let's begin!
*I do not own Prince of Tennis*
o-o-o-o-o
Seishun Academy
o-o-o-o-o
"Sakunoooo!" A brown haired girl with twin pigtails shouted out as she raced down the hall.
A couple of the students in the hall glanced at her when they looked up to see who was out and about screaming so loudly on a Monday morning. They eyed her weirdly. Did something happen with Echizen?
Ryuzaki Sakuno, grand daughter of Ryuzaki Sumire, turned around as she heard her best friend's call.
"Hai, Tomo-chan?" She asked curiously. Did something happen with Ryoma-kun?
Tomoka panted as she struggled to catch her breath.
Huff. Huff. Huff.
"Let's...go..."
Sakuno blinked.
"Go where?"
"...to...the front gate..." Tomoka breathed out as she tried to slow her heart rate.
"Eh? Why?"
"My cousin Miwa-chan has a friend coming here...she's new so she'll need a guide..." Tomoka explained as she gestured for Sakuno to get up and go.
"Really?"
Tomoka nodded.
"Yup. Her name is Sakurai Aika. She's going to be a third year."
"Eh?"
"Uh huh!"
Sakuno sighed knowing it was hopeless for her to fight against her friend when she was on fire.
"Okay!" Sakuno packed her things and placed them into her bag before walking off with Tomoka to the front gate.
Tomoka grinned as she walked toward the gate with Sakuno at her side.
Horio, Kachiro, and Katsuo stared at Tomoka weirdly as she walked past them with Sakuno.
Did something happen with Ryoma?
Outside the front gate, Tomoka and Sakuno stood awkwardly. Tomoka was tapping her feet against the ground while Sakuno was picking at her hair.
"Umm...Tomo-chan..."
"Yes, Sakuno?"
"Is she here yet?"
"Hmm..." Tomoka muttered as she looked left and right.
"I..." She squinted her eyes. "I...don't..."
Then, she saw a flash of brilliant golden brown hair.
"There!"
She pointed toward a thin and slender figure moving toward them.
Sakuno looked in the direction and gasped.
Walking toward them was a pretty nee-san with shining light brown hair and big violet eyes.
She smiled at the two girls who had their mouths open like fish out of water.
"Err...Osakada Tomoka?" She asked slowly.
Tomoka nodded vigorously after knocking herself out of her trance.
"Yes!"
Aika smiled at the two ichinen girls.
"This is my friend Ryuzaki Sakuno," Tomoka said as she pointed at Sakuno who blushed and bowed to her senpai.
"I am Osakada Tomoka."
Aika's smile did not falter as she glanced at the two girls.
"Hello, Sakuno-chan...Tomoka-chan..."
The two first years blushed.
Aika blinked.
"Ehh...is that too uncomfortable for you two?"
Both girls flushed before raising their hands and trying to tell the older girl it was alright to call them Sakuno-chan and Tomoka-chan.
"Are you sure?" Aika asked again.
They nodded before the three girls smiled at each other.
Aika bowed to the two first year girls.
"Please take good care of me!"
o-o-o-o-o
Later
o-o-o-o-o
"Aika-senpai, what's your homeroom class?" Sakuno asked the taller girl.
"3-6," Aika said as she looked at the slip of paper that the secretary from the office gave her.
"Oh! That's Fuji-sempai and Eiji-sempai's homeroom!" Tomoka pointed out excitedly.
"Mmh," Sakuno nodded.
"Let's introduce you during tennis practice today!" Tomoka suggested as she grinned at the older girl.
Aika nodded her head with a smile.
"Okay."
Inside a classroom from the second floor, the ichinen trio pointed at the three girls to Ryoma and Momoshiro.
"...so...we thought something happened to you Echizen..." Horio said.
"But it was nothing, because Osakada was just showing around a new girl," Kachiro added.
"Yup," Katsuo said.
"Hmm..." Momo muttered as he looked at the girl from the window.
"What is it, Momo-sempai?" Ryoma asked his upperclassman.
"She's cute," Momo grinned at his underclassman.
Ryoma rolled his eyes.
"Mada mada, Momo-sempai."
"So what year is she?" Momo asked the ichinen trio.
"Transfer student Sakurai Aika..." An ominous said from behind the five boys who twitched and slowly turned around to come face to face with Inui.
"I-Inui-sempai..." Horio bit out.
"Third year...14 years old...birthday is April 9th...blood type AB...5 feet and 3.5 inches...unknown weight..."
The five boys listened to Inui as he continued to give the girl's data to them.
"She transferred from Osaka's Shitenhouji although she attended Rikkaidai her freshman year..."
"Ooh..."
Inui snapped his book shut.
"According to my data, she is in Fuji and Eiji's homeroom."
Momo grinned.
"Maybe sempais can introduce me to her."
Ryoma flicked his tongue.
"No way, Momo-sempai...that girl looks like she wants a real man."
"What, Echizen? Are you saying I am not manly enough?" Momo demanded.
Echizen turned to his side and put up his hands around his neck.
"That's not what I said...but since you implied it..."
"Mou! Darn it, Echizen!" Momo put Echizen into a headlock.
"Momo-sempai...it hurts..."
The ichinen trio laughed at their silly antics while Inui continued to look out the window at the three girls outside in the courtyard.
o-o-o-o-o
Club Activities
o-o-o-o-o
"SEMPAIS!" Tomoka hollered as she raced toward the tennis regulars with Sakuno and Aika in tow.
She stopped just in front of them.
"Hello, Osakada-san," Fuji beamed at the younger girl who blushed. "You as well, Ryuzaki-san." The other girl did, as well.
"Hi, Fuji-sempai!"
"Saa...you seem excited," The genius remarked.
"Hai!" Tomoka nodded.
Sakuno nodded, too, although not as enthusiastically.
"Meet Sakurai Aika!"
The regulars finally noticed the mysterious girl with golden brown hair.
Aika smiled at the regulars awkwardly.
"Hello."
"Ah!" Momo pointed at her. "You're the one I saw!"
Ryoma turned to Momo.
"We saw her two hours ago, Momo-sempai. Mada mada..."
"Echizen!"
"Nice to meet you, Sakurai-san!" Oishi said as he turned his attention back to the new girl.
"What year are you, nya?" Eiji asked her.
"Third year," Aika answered.
"Eh?" Eiji looked at her with a confused look.
"Really?"
Aika nodded.
"What classroom are you in?" Eiji asked as he moved in closer to Aika, completely invading her personal space bubble.
"Umm...3-6," Aika replied as she felt the hairs on her neck rising as she felt Eiji's presence overwhelm hers.
"Waaaah! That's the same as mine and Fujiko's!" He remarked before Oishi pulled him away.
"Sorry, Sakurai-san," Oishi apologized.
Aika smiled at him.
"It's fine...umm..."
"Oishi. Oishi Shuichiro."
"Ah...thank you Oishi-san."
"Ha ha ha...is today your first day, Sakurai-san?" Fuji asked her pleasantly.
"Hai. Tomoka-chan and Sakuno-chan have been showing me around the school," Aika said as she picked a stray lock of hair.
"Ah. I trust it's been pleasant?" Fuji asked.
"Yes," Aika smiled at the genius.
Fuji stuck out his hand.
"Fuji Syuusuke."
Aika shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Fuji-san."
"You as well."
Tomoka squealed next to Sakuno.
"I can see a great romance sprouting here," Tomoka whispered to Sakuno who looked at her blankly.
"I...don't understand, Tomo-chan..."
Tomoka laughed aloud and patted Sakuno's back.
"You'll see one day, Sakuno!"
Sakuno rubbed her back and looked at her best friend weirdly.
Mwahahahaha...inspiration means more chapters...